Career
She was known in society as "Princesse Moustache" ("Whiskered Princess") (from fr Moustache - mustache) or "Fée Moustachine" ("bearded fairy"). She was a prototype of the main heroine of Alexander Pushkin"s The Queen of Spades. The second daughter of a diplomat, Count Pyotr Grigoryevich Chernyshyov, godson of Peter the Great, and Catherine Andreevna, daughter of a famous chief of the secret office in Biron, Count Andrei Ivanovich Ushakov.
In 1762 she was appointed maid of honor to Empress Catherine the Great.
She was awarded with a gold medal by the empress for her dance in the masquerade of 1766. In 1783 she left for Europe with her family, and until 1789 she participated in the French court life where she was known for her skillful dance at balls.
She visited London in 1789-1790 and then returned to Russia when Catherine, upon the French Revolution, summoned all Russians to Russia. She was appointed lady in waiting in 1806.
Along with successes at court, Natalya Petrovna zealously engaged in farming.